Vending machine



Oct. 20, 1953 s. SPERO Erm. 2,656,029

VENDING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 DEPOSIT coms HER:

mfp /jp INVENTORS L S. SPERO & GIL BERT HDA/WEC TTOR/VEY Oct. 20, 1953 L. s. SPERO ETAL VENDING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July l2, 1950 CTNATED BY oNE DIME:

ARC 58 A on Two Nlcxs l5 EQuIvALENT JNVENToRs l`SPERO a- HDMEC Oct. 20, 1953 L. s. SPI-:Ro ETAL VENDING MACHINE Filed July 12, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 fillllllllllll;

3 T N w., .Tll m wfwfll LIL/ S. SPEH GQEERT APH/VEC /7 TY'OR/VEY Patented Oct. 20, 1953 UNITED VENDING Spero,f

Application J'uIypIZ, 1950,y S'rifr No; 1273,297 i 3. Claims; 1f

This invention relates-l` tovendingV machines.

It isz-'an object oi'ilthe present invention to pro'- vde arvendingmaehine wherein there is available.- in one machines numerous sundry supp-lies such as may be requiiectbyfarperson' whov is traveling and in order that therefwili always be available to them items of. ab'sohitenecessity when traveling. or otherwise.

It anotherobject ofithe. present. invention to provide a vending machine adapted; to contain sundry supplies which consumesflittlefspace and wherein` l alL ofthe 1 items will heY readily displayedxandvwherein by the use of but. two dee nominations ofi coins; thesel items` differently priced, canv bedispensed andfwherein means is provided, onoelthe coins have `heenrplaleed-inthe machine; wherein. aetjaustment4 of the selecting devicefi'sv prevented.

Otherobjects of V'the yprost-mt invention aref-to provide a sundry'item- Vendingv machine which is: of "simple construction,. inexpensive -tomanufacturexhas a minimum'inunrber of parts-compact, of pleasing appearancei easyto operateby the purchaser and' eficient inI operation.

For other objects and' for a better understanding ofthe invention,- reference may be-#had-to the following detailed description taken inconnee'- tion With the accompanying drawing,- in which Fig. 1 is a perspective vievv of the'sundry item vending machine embodying the features'ofthe present invention.

Fig. 2' 'is `a 'fragmentary' perspective 'View of "the selecting mechanism.

Fig. 3 is a. large sca-le diagrammaticLA view" of the operating partsactionable upon the insertion of coins into the machine.y

Fig. 4 isa fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through one of the chambers-oearingone item andlooking upon the solenoid pusher..

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional View taken through the coin slots.

Fig. 6 is al vertical sectional View taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

Fig. is a fragmentary perspectiveview show"- ing the mannerv in AWhichfthe*projections'ofthe operating mechanism sweep the coin slots.

Fig. 8 'is a sectional View taken through' the controlling disc and on line 8-8 of ."Fig. 3.'-

Fig.A 9 is a wiring diagram of the operating mechanism.

Referring now to the gures, lrepresents an outer casingV having-diront face Il. On the front face there lattached a pluralityotplates i2 representative` of the goods Whicnmaybe dispensed. Underthe plates l`2`are other identific-saluons` 13; which lie immediately above,a se.:- lector window I4 The selector'- meohanismis operatedffbyqa-s almelo t5: and 'the pointer orf: indieater I'6 is.-movedz 'to the :desi-redv fitenr-i miele iis tof-.bei dispensed. Coins arepiaced. in fag-isletfnlil ait-.the4 topv ofthe.- oasing 10i Only n-ieieeis;v and dimesare' used in this vina-chine. l Afterf theses Ieotion oftheitem-fhas been made; arpnshhandle i8; which .operates in asiotniefiswpnshedidownf lvvardly toclispenseithetitem.:y Aneelongatediszchargeopening 2 t *isfprovidedsirr-the lower vpart of the #front v'port-Lion H which thev itemon be taken.. Anfeleetriocord 2r21fwithafptugv2 servesto connect? the machine/1 tota; wait-1 re'- ceptaele.:

As seen in Fig.` 5;r4 afconrtohute M: i'sioonneoted tootheffront portion .ofthe-casing lignment with .the slot-H; This icoinfchnte :1s-adapted to; pass f nickels and. dimes: Thef :coinz-:ohirtefhas two depending. portions: 2G' andf't: 'Ihewdependf ingfrportion isf adapted toeaitol-r` dim-es.'A 28. The sides ot fthe cl'iute.r are. slottecL: vas'irniicated at 28"; to permit;thefdownwardpessage of'afhook 30 therethroughV to sweep;l the` dimes from" this portion ZS. 'Ihefportionzf receivesfnickels' `itl andlhasa. slot throughwvvhiclra niokeihook or sweep 33 may pass.i 'TheV dimerchuteepoxztion Zlis :.not-orrlyuof 'lesslengthp but derriere-:narrow than theftopporti'on ofthe'chute so asfto prevent even the "slightest fentry of "the -niekel' `3 I" passing dowrxth'e-I topzportion 25.5 The niokelilvill not be heidY up in? moving through theltop portion 25-to-thedownvportion 2?."

The operating Ahandle f8" is connected? to arm 5ofaplun'ger 36;" `plunger-works =in a' sle'eveST* against the action` of a spring. Depending fromthe arm 35larefbraeketsf39and towhich-'the sweep hooks'-andSBare respectively pivotallgiVT connected.

Abutting the lowerlend of the dirne coi-n portion 261s a spring stopl lil to -temporarilyfsupport'tlie dimesfzi. This spring` stop `isseoured to a bracket Zon the machineby-fascrewf. The hook; sweep Silwiil" enter rtlr'eeslot Zwet 1the dime portion ESF and will? force.' the dimes zrpast the spring stop 4 l 3and:deposit them acoinbox chute t4. A'v tension sprinfg'l actingbetween ther depending portion Siland thepivoted'hook 3 0 thereon' :wilt normally keep. the hook ina.y horfzontal 'positiomr as indicated by. dotted lineSfAB. Dependingy from 'the sweep hookv 3i) isarack bar M having reck' teeth' i3 thereon engageable Awith a rack pinion 4S iixedtoa--selector Wheel. This selector-wheel has a piu-raiityof fco-rrtaets 5l iadapted totengage With-"asprin-g contact ter'- the sweep hook 30 has been actuated, the dimes,V

will be dispensed past the spring 4|. 'Ihe strength of the spring 4| is suilicient to permit actuation of the rack and Aselector wheel the required distance. A flexible strap 60 is connected between the arm portion 35, as indicated at 6|, and to the selector wheel at 63 and will be wound upon the selector wheel partially as the actuation of the same is effected. The strap 68 will, as the plunger. 36 and push handle is released and under the action of spring 38, cause the selector wheel to be returned to its initial 4Vposition with its lugr 64 against stop 65.

A spring stop 66 is secured by a screw 61 to a bracket 68 and serves to hold the nickels 3| in the nickel portion 21. The hook 33 works through the slot thereof. The hook 33 is held in a horizontal position by springs 68 extended between the hook and the depending bracket 40. A rack rod 69 having rack teeth 10 depends from the hook and has a roller 1| operable in slot '12. The rack teeth 10 engage with teeth 13 on the selector wheel 50. With one nickel 3| in the portion 21, the wheel 50 will be moved through only the angular distance of one contact. A coin box chute 14 will receive the nickelsafter they have been forced by the spring stop 66. The arrangement of the coin portions 26 and 2'! are -such that if mixed coins are deposited, the actuation of the dimes will first occur and thereafter the action of the mechanism for the nickels.

Extending across the casing are a series of compartments 16 having packaged items therein. These items are stacked one upon the other and can be dispensed through an opening 18 by a plunger 19 into a chute 80 so that access can be had to the same through the elongated opening 2| in the front of the casing. A baille 8| is provided to prevent one from reaching upwardly into the chute B0. The plunger 19 is operated by a solenoid B2 that is wired to con- A tacts 5|. The solenoid will be wired to the contacts depending upon the amount of the item which is to be dispensed. If the item is twenty ve cents, the solenoid will be connected to the fifth contact. If the item is ten cents, the solenoid will be connected to the second contact. The contact terminal 52 is connected directly by wire 83 with plug 23. Wire 84 from the plug is connected to movable contact 85 and is movable therewith to establish contact with any one of contacts 86 respectively associated with the solenoid 82. The placing of the indicator I6 will establish the circuit with a particular solenoid and for a particular item. All that remains is to place the coins in the slot and push downwardly upon a push handle I8.-

The selector indicator |6 is connected to a pulley wire 81 that extends over a pulley 88 at one side of the casing and a pulley 89 at the other side of the casing and which is operated by the turn knob |5. In order to prevent the movement of the contact 85 after the coins have been placed in the machine, a long arm 9| is connected to the arm portion and is movable Adownwardly therewith. 'Ihis arm extends above the selector mechanism and has depending horizontally spaced portions or stops 92 adapted to be engaged by a projection 93 on the indicator |6 so that movement of the indicator is prohibited to change the item once the push handle is moved downwardly to operate the machine. In this manner, the customer is prevented from obtaining an item different froml that which was originally selected and which may be of higher price than the one selected.

` It should now be apparent that there has been provided a sundry vending machine which is operable to dispense different items and which will have particular use for travelers, as in wash rooms; subways, pullman trains, hotels, steamships, oflice buildings, restaurants, night clubsl department stores, factories, colleges, and in other numerous places where these items might be needed. While certain items have been illustrated, it will be apparent that other items can be dispensed from the machine. It will also be apparent that a larger number of such items can be used by this same machine with the addition of the spaces and the necessary added extension of the parts.

While various changes may be made in the detail construction, it shall be understood that such changes shall be within the spirit and scope of the present invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. sundry item vending machine comprising a casing, a plurality of compartments in the casing having respectively different packaged items, a selecting mechanism having a knob adapted to be turned and an indicator operable by said knob, solenoid operated plungers associated with the respective compartments, said indicator having contact means adapted to connect with any one of the respective plungers, a contact wheel having a plurality of contacts thereon and adapted to engage with a stationary contact secured to the casing, push Ihandle mechanism operable in response to nickels and dimes for moving the contact wheel, said push handle mechanism including a plunger with a push arm thereon, spring means tending to effect the re'- turn of the plunger, a coin chute having depending portions for respectively receiving nickels and dimes, said push handle mechanism further Including coin engaging elements engageable with the coins in the depending portions, rack rods extending respectively from the coin engaging elements, said contact wheel having teeth therein adapted to receive the respective rack rods of the push handle mechanism to be actuated by the same to measured distances effected bythe different number of coins in the depending portions of the coin chutes, and a return strip adapted to be wound upon the contact Awheel as the push handle mechanism is operated so that as the push handle arm portion is returned the contact'wheel will be returned to its initial position and the contact on the contact wheel corresponding respectivelyto the solenoid yoperated plungers of the respective compartments.

2. In a sundry item vending machine, a casing having a front portion, a plurality of item displays on the front portion, a coin chute extending from the front portion and adapted to receive nickels and dimes, said coin chute having a top portion and dime and nickel portions communicating therewith, said dime portion lying inwardly of the nickel .portion and opening into the top portion, said dime portion being of a size` to reject the nickels as they are moved through the top portion, but adapted to receive the dimes, said dime and nickel portions having side slots therein, an actuating mechanism comprising a plunger member having an arm extending laterally, spring means tending to return the plunger, said arm having depending brackets thereon and coin hooks adapted to enter the slots in the dime and nickel portions upon the plunger being depressed, a handle extending through the casing from said arm, releasable stop means on the lower ends of the dime and nickel portions to normally detain the coins, racks connected to the coin hooks and having rack teeth thereon, means on the lower ends of the respective racks for guiding the downward movement of the same, a selector wheel having gear teeth thereon engageable with the respective rack teeth of the rack rods, said wheel having electrical contacts circumferentially spaced thereupon, a stationary terminal adapted to engage with the contacts, the movement of the wheel being in response to the coins disposed in the respective dime and nickel portions, package compartments within the casing, outlet chute means associated with the package compartments for the discharge of the packages, electrical plunger means for ejecting the packages from the compartments, said plungers having solenoids connected respectively thereto, said solenoids connected respectively with the contacts of the Contact Wheel, a selecting device having an adjustable contact member and means for adjusting the same, said solenoids having contacts engageable by the selector contact and coin box chutes disposed respectively under the releasable stop means of the respective dime and nickel portions, and a return wire means connected between the contact wheel and the plunger arm.

3. A sundry item vending machine as defined in claim 2, and a transversely extending bar connected to the plunger arm to be operated downwardly therewith, said bar having laterally spaced nger members thereon, said selector contact having a projection adapted to engage with the linger members, whereby to prevent the movement of the selector after the plunger has been operated.

LILA S. SPERO. GILBERT ADAMEC.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 512,959 Hanvey Jan. 16, 1894 1,731,829 Seidel Oct. 15, 1929 1,763,045 Hehn June 10, 1930 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 354,418 Gfreat Britain Aug. 13, 1931 

